EQIP/CRP and Other Ideas for Pasture

[Fetz]

My wife and I are closing on our dream homestead in about a month. It's 16 acres in central Illinois. The property is currently used for rotational grazing and haying. We'd like to establish some small livestock operations (starting with chickens and bees, and maybe add some goats or sheep in a few years) but we have no plans for cattle or horses. I'd really like to dedicate most of the space south of the house to wildlife conservation and hunting. We are in an area of mixed ag and timber, there is clear sign of deer traveling on the property, and I witnessed 15-20 deer in the neighbor's yard two houses down at dusk one night. I have two main questions/concerns:

Am I trying to cram 10lbs of manure into a 5lb bag? Most would say 16 acres is extremely tight for a space solely dedicated to hunting, and I want to live, raise animals, raise kids, have an orchard, have a garden, have a shooting range, and hunt on 16 acres. I don't expect to shoot a county record buck but do I have any chance for decent hunting or will I simply have too much of an impact/presence?

Might I expect reasonable government assistance on achieving any of my conservation goals? CRP would be great for the annual income but I don't think hay counts as a farmland crop and pasture certainly doesn't. Anyone have any success stories or tips for establishing prairie or early successional habitat over former pasture? It hasn't been seeded since 2019. I reached out to my local NRCS office to just get some info and they basically told me not to bother them until I have the deed in hand.

We obviously have years of work ahead of us and an overwhelming amount of things to research/learn as we have no farming or land management experience. Any and all advice is welcome, thanks!

 

[Bill]

Heck with the Government, IMO.
Keep reading around here, you can convert that pasture into anything you want. Looks like it could be a sweet little hunting spot if you don't put the pressure on to heavy. I think the deer will get used to routine activity and some chickens.

First thing I'd work on is screening your side of the S.E. Field from the neighbors place.

 

[bwoods11]

Pasture doesn’t have many CRP options . Possibly some tree planting programs? I’d get some food out there and plant trees.

Looks nice, congrats!

 

[Mozark]

I agree with Bill, screen everything you can. If there is any elevation change, use it to your advantage to keep deer out of site. Thinking long term, look for plants that can do double duty, bees and deer. I live on 14 acres in the ozarks, away from ag, plants like sweet clover and partridge pea are relished by both. My best buck to date was taken with a bow a hundred yards from the back door, while a neighbor brush hogged a couple hundred yards away. The game changer for me was a small hidden orchard plot with a water tank, just enough elevation change the buck felt secure and hid. The water tank probably being the most important. It can be done, you may have to temper expectations for a while. Your property looks like it has great potential, congrats.

 

[b116757]

Nice property screening from the property to the west also would be nice.

 

[b116757]

Yellow screening
Red orchard
Blue food plot

On the food plot because it’s so close to your home maybe clover that you could just mow a couple time a year. But the sky is the limit on food plots on involvement. Also in the blue area straight back behind the house I would remove those three trees inside the blue and depending on the elevation of your property if you can see to the far southern point of the blue you have rifle range in your back yard.

 

[H20fwler]

I also live on a small farm of 12 acres and have another 30 five miles down the road.

For a lot of the Gov programs, you have to have at least a certain amount of acreage, after they take out your homestead area it may be to small to qualify and I wouldn't think the dollar value of watever the payment to you would be much. And like others have said it is much simpler to just do what you want/enjoy without any interference or rules.
As far as having much livestock on that size of place decide which is most important to your family raising animals or hunting.

Screening from neighbors is a good idea and adding stuff to your property that none of the neighbor’s offer be it food plots/water/soft mast/hard mast/shrubs or better cover will really make a difference.

 

[SD51555]

What does the larger area look like, about a mile in every direction? 16 acres of well managed habitat could be a nice draw if the area is lacking something obvious.

What are the mature trees that are there now? Any low spots to be able to make a fish pond?

 

[westonwhitetail]

Looks like a nice place! Make friends with the neighbors in case you need to track. Other than that it looks like a great place for what you want to do.

 

[FarmerDan]

My wife and I are closing on our dream homestead in about a month. It's 16 acres in central Illinois. The property is currently used for rotational grazing and haying. We'd like to establish some small livestock operations (starting with chickens and bees

Am I trying to cram 10lbs of manure into a 5lb bag? Most would say 16 acres is extremely tight for a space solely dedicated to hunting, and I want to live, raise animals, raise kids, have an orchard, have a garden, have a shooting range, and hunt on 16 acres. I don't expect to shoot a county record buck but do I have any chance for decent hunting or will I simply have too much of an impact/presence?

First, congratulations! I can tell by the tone of your post and by the list of goals for your property you are rightly excited! But, yes I think you are ambitious. Hunt it, sure, but at least initially consider keeping the status quo. Chickens and bees take no space. If there are cattle grazing there must be fence? Why not rent the cropped and grazed land back to the producer for awhile. I don't know how many acres or what land rents are there but you're looking at at least $1,000 a year? I dunno. You can hunt the pasture. There are plenty of trees of a stand or two. Sit and watch for awhile. It's cheap to do! Just a thought.

Might I expect reasonable government assistance on achieving any of my conservation goals?

If you mean money then NO-unless you let the existing producer continue haying and grazing. f you did qualify for anything the money would be so small it probably wouldn't be worth the effort, all things considered.

CRP would be great for the annual income but I don't think hay counts as a farmland crop and pasture certainly doesn't. Anyone have any success stories or tips for establishing prairie or early successional habitat over former pasture? It hasn't been seeded since 2019. I reached out to my local NRCS office to just get some info and they basically told me not to bother them until I have the deed in hand.

CRP, CREP and GRP are programs offered by FSA. Conservation Reserve Program, Conservation Reserve Enhanced Program, and Grassland Reserve Program.

NRCS offers EQUIP and some others. Contrary to Bill's blanket refusal to think anything good of government, there are a lot of good people employed there. The mission of NRCS is to work with private farmland owners to enhance the conservation of ag land. They were probably right to turn you away as you don't yet own the land. You have no idea how many people approach seeking handouts to own land. After you own the land you can (should) be able to ask them for advice. It's free. But, like with everything else, there are good people in the agency - and all the rest. And, if you have other conservation issues you're local (county) Soil & Water Conservation folks can advise.

Best Wishes!

Another thought: Real Estate tax. I guess everybody has it. If you keep the working farm land working is there are reduced land tax for such a thing where you are?

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

That looks like a nice spot. It looks like your neighbors have most of the woods, so I'd let them provide the majority of the bedding area and you can provide the food. If you plant a couple acres of food plots you won't have any problem filling your freezer with venison.

I'd also suggest planting trees along the property boundary to provide a visual screen from neighbors.

 

[SD51555]

That income idea isn't all bad, because you could double dip if you find the right producer.

A guy could square off some of those areas to increase the cover, and also turn that pasture into a harvestable cover crop that would also serve as a dynamite food plot. My mind immediately goes to alfalfa, but I might also add in balansa, chicory, plantain, forage winter wheat, spring forage barley, flax, and collards. Just make sure he gets his last cutting off 45 days before you wanna hunt. I'd be pulling a drill through there filled with the above blend minus the perennials every year minutes after he's got the bales hauled away.